What are the best children’s books of 2014?

The Guardian children’s books team and site members young and old(er) share their favourite books from the past year – is your top read up there?

What are the best children’s books on the nativity?

From Nicholas Allan’s Jesus’ Christmas Party to Jan Pienkowski’s The First Christmas, the Book Doctor seeks out the books which most beautifully tell the Christmas story

The best picture books for children this Christmas

Snow, sisters and a delinquent dragon star in the best tales for tots this winter, writes Kate Kellaway

Cressida Cowell launches Christmas reading challenge for young readers

Newsflash: The Christmas Mini-Challenge, a festive version of the massively popular Summer Reading Challenge, is back for a second year! Find out how to join in here

My inspiration: Satoshi Kitamura on why he loves Osamu Tezuka’s Astro Boy and manga

When Satoshi Kitamura came to the UK he was shocked to find reading comics was looked down on, things were very different when he was growing up in Japan...

Snow by Walter de la Mare – video

Happy December everyone! Now we are officially allowed to think about Christmas and wintery things – so let’s get in the mood with a very beautiful animation

Eye Benders wins Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize

GrrlScientist: Benders, a children’s book by Clive Gifford & Professor Anil Seth, is filled with optical illusions. The authors explain the science behind how these illusions work and demonstrate the many different ways that they trick your brain.

A child’s eye view of death: the power of picture books to explain

Death and bereavement are difficult facts for parents to teach small children, made harder still if they are grieving themselves. But many authors have found elegant ways to start the process, writes Imogen Russell Williams

Flat Stanley review – classic kids’ book becomes wonderfully wonky musical

This show based on Jeff Brown’s offbeat novel is loud, colourful and cleverly designed – and it will strike a chord for younger siblings, writes Chris Wiegand

Children’s illustrators’ doodles: watch them in action!

Want to experience the magic of illustration in motion? Then watch these six-second videos of top children’s illustrators drawing. From Axel Scheffler to Debi Gliori, watch the finest British illustrators doodling beautifully for us

John Dougherty’s top 10 fictional badgers

Badgers in stories are usually wise and kindly animals – which may have little to do with real life but does anybody really care? Here John Dougherty picks the best badgers in children’s books

Why poetry belongs to us all

On Poetry Day, Sarah Crossan argues that poetry is everywhere. And it is ours. So sing and share your songs and don’t be afraid to snatch poetry back into your life and use it!